Fox News Leads Cable Ratings in Third Quarter of 2026

As Fox News Channel nears its 30th anniversary, it continues its dominance in television ratings. For the third quarter of 2026, Fox News outperformed CBS in weekday primetime viewership and led all cable networks.

Fox News averaged 2.4 million viewers during weekday primetime, surpassing CBS and maintaining a year-to-date lead in this category. In cable, Fox News averaged 1.3 million total-day viewers, the only network to exceed one million. MS NOW followed with 592,000, while other networks like ESPN, CNN, and HGTV trailed further behind.

The Five averaged 3.1 million total day viewers, topping cable news ratings.

In primetime, Fox News drew 2.1 million viewers, ahead of ESPN’s 1.1 million. MS NOW grabbed 930,000 and CNN 607,000. Fox News commanded 56% of the total audience during the day and 57% in primetime.

The Five—featuring Dana Perino, Greg Gutfeld, Jesse Watters, Emily Compagno, Jessica Tarlov, and Harold Ford Jr.—led with 3.1 million viewers. This marks the 20th consecutive quarter for The Five as the highest-rated cable news show. Jesse Watters Primetime, Gutfeld!, Special Report with Bret Baier, Hannity, and The Ingraham Angle rounded out the top six, with Fox News programs dominating the top 14.

MS NOW’s The Rachel Maddow Show was the only non-Fox program in the top 14, averaging 1.9 million viewers. It ranked seventh with 10 episodes against The Five‘s 59. CNN’s top program, Newsnight, averaged 686,000 viewers, placing 24th.

Fox News’ daytime lineup boosted its overall success. Shows such as America’s Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino, The Faulkner Focus, Outnumbered, and America Reports performed well. Fox News @ Night with Trace Gallagher led its time slot, and Gutfeld! outperformed late-night programs including ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and NBC’s The Tonight Show.

FOX & Friends remained the top cable news morning show, with 1.1 million viewers, outperforming CBS Mornings in key markets like New York and Washington, D.C. Weekend programming, including Fox News Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Futures, also excelled with viewers.

Fox News led in viewership for adults aged 25-54, a crucial advertiser demographic, averaging 120,000 daily viewers and 183,000 during primetime. The Five averaged 289,000 viewers in this age group, topping the critical category.

Data sourced from Nielsen Media Research.